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Drew deal would interest Tigers

The Tigers have been looking for a long-term answer at shortstop for at least four years, only to watch prospects falter on the way up through the farm system. So if they have a chance to add a young shortstop they could keep around for a few years, there’s a good chance they’ll look into it. Stephen Drew could be that opportunity if Arizona decides to look into dealing him.

The Tigers have shown interest in Drew, FOXSports.com reports, but it remains to be seen how seriously the Diamondbacks will look into trading him and how much in return it’ll take to pull it off. If Arizona pursues it, the appeal for the Tigers would go beyond this year. The 27-year-old Drew was eligible for arbitration for the first time this past winter, and won’t be eligible for free agency until 2012.

Ramon Santiago has had the majority of playing time at shortstop for much of the year, with prospect Danny Worth also getting starts over the last month since Detroit released Adam Everett this year. But Tigers officials haven’t seen Santiago as an everyday option at short, believing that he physically wears down if he plays too often. The Tigers could go with another infielder to mix in if they’d prefer to make a minor deal, or they could try to solve the position once and for all.

One problem the Tigers face in that, though, is that they have other needs, from catcher to starting pitcher and potentially reliever. They can’t possibly fill them all, so they’re going to have to prioritize ahead of the trade deadline. It’s hard to imagine Detroit getting a young shortstop like Drew without having to part with one of their highly-touted pitching prospects.

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